Save this picture!

RSHP has won a competition to redevelop the Rives-Défense site in La Défense, the business district of Paris. Announced during MIPIM, the project envisions the transformation of an 8-hectare site at the western edge of the district into a low-carbon mixed-use neighborhood. Commissioned by Paris La Défense, the proposal is developed by a multidisciplinary team led by RSHP and including Atelier SOIL as co-architect and urban planner, Altitude 35 as landscape architect, Arcadis as engineering consultant, as well as Atelier Franck Boutté, Urban Eco, and Mobius.

Save this picture!

Located along the historic axis extending from the Louvre toward the western metropolitan area, the Rives-Défense site occupies a strategic position at the entrance to La Défense and in proximity to the Seine River. The proposal focuses on reestablishing the district's relationship with the river by introducing new access points and restoring visual connections that are currently interrupted by infrastructure and layered urban development. By opening views and creating routes toward the waterfront, the project seeks to reposition the river as a central spatial and ecological component of the neighborhood.

Save this picture!

The design approach prioritizes the rehabilitation, reuse, and extension of existing structures, integrating new construction while retaining elements that contribute to the site's architectural and urban identity. This strategy aims to support a diverse mix of uses and reinforce everyday urban activity through housing, workplaces, and public spaces. At the same time, the project introduces new landscaped areas, including public squares and extensive planting, intended to improve microclimatic conditions and create open spaces that function as bioclimatic environments within the dense urban context.

According to the design team, the spatial organization of the project forms what is described as a "metropolitan clearing," with taller buildings aligned along the historic La Défense axis and heights gradually stepping down toward the Seine River. This configuration is intended to balance urban density with open space while shaping a skyline that transitions between the high-rise environment of La Défense and the riverfront landscape. The project is expected to be developed through a phased and collaborative process involving both public and private stakeholders, and forms part of a broader set of ongoing developments in the district, including RSHP's work on the Jean Moulin project in La Défense.

Save this picture!

In other recent developments in Paris, the public observation deck at the top of the Tour Montparnasse is scheduled to close on March 31, 2026, ahead of a major redevelopment of the tower and its surrounding complex. Alongside the tower's transformation, the commercial podium at its base will also be redesigned, with the project commissioned to Renzo Piano Building Workshop, which is leading the redevelopment of the existing 1970s shopping center and adjacent public spaces. In parallel, the firm recently announced that a building permit has been granted for the Hôpital Universitaire Saint-Ouen Grand Paris Nord, a state-led initiative designed to address growing healthcare demands in Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine through the development of a next-generation hospital facility.